Philly-Area Speed Skater Vies for Olympic Gold

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When Philadelphia-area athlete Kyle Carr says he’s been skating his entire life, he’s not exaggerating. The 27-year-old Olympic speed skater learned to roller blade when he was just a year old, when most toddlers are taking their first clumsy steps. At age 3, he competed in his first national competition for the sport, eventually trading his wheels for blades at 15. He reached milestone after milestone from then on – making the Junior World Team and later the World Cup team. But his ultimate goal was always to represent Team U.S.A. at the Olympics.

His story is not without tragedy – Carr was injured during a trials competition for the Junior World Team. But with the support of his loved ones and the intense focus on his dream, he made the team for this 2014 Winter Olympics at Sochi, Russia, the result of over two decades of sacrifice, hard training and focus.

Kyle Carr competes with his teammates in the men’s 5 thousand-meter relay. We wish him the best of luck!